Re-enactment / historical question

[gilmore]

...What I said was that in the period you are looking at (14th and 15th centuries), Lowland (English speaking) scots would have dressed like their English contemporaries, while Highland (Gaelic speaking) Scots would have dressed like their Irish contemporaries, which is where we find the leine and brat. ...

I would think that those living in the Lowlands at that time would be quick to tell you that they spoke Scots (or Lallans), not English.

[BoldHighlander]

...has already been given. Talk to the group that your going to reenact with and find out their criteria & level of authenticity. Then beg, borrow, or steal from them before jumping in whole hog

As a living historian myself, I would highly recommend this article on authenticity & documentation: http://www.re-enactmentevents.com/re-enact/Proposal.php
when I first got involved in ACW (American Civil War or War Between the States) out here on the left coast, it was still somewhat of a farb fest, but there were those of us (myself included) who researched our units, & I gathered reams of 1st person documentation of what our unit (2nd Kentucky Cavalry - Morgan's Raiders) wore, utilized as weapons, & behaved generally.

Any way, read the article & follow that great advice on contacting the host group.....and have fun with it!

[Salvianus]

As a living historian myself, I would highly recommend this article on authenticity & documentation: http://www.re-enactmentevents.com/re-enact/Proposal.php[/B][/COLOR][/FONT]

I like that article a lot, Alan Gutchess summarises the research approach to living history very effectively. I particularly like his advice to minimize the effect of any speculation you have to make.

For me, re-enactment is about giving as acccurate a portrayal as current research allows, with room for reasoned inference and variety in interpretation: thats part of the fun for me, but plenty of folk prefer to focus on craft or weapon skills, or just immersion in the campfire life without spending all their time in the library, so just go for a simpler, low status impression and there's not much to argue with.

So my advice is to aim to achieve the humblest outfit - a simple tunic (a big poofy shirt down to kilt length might do it ) and a plain brown thin leather belt with a D buckle. If you aren't happy with the belt hoik the tunic up to overhang and obscure it. If you want a mantle, I'd avoid a proper tartan plaid, but you might be able to drape a rough weave plain or simple check blanket over your shoulder, cutting off any modern zig zag machine stitching and maybe pin it on the right shoulder or so it goes in a loop under the opposite armpit with a thin stick sharpened to make a big thorn shape. With some rough string and a bit of care folding it that can replace a bag/pocket. Shoes are always the hardest, but you might be able to pick up something basic enough: to me they look a bit like leather slippers - low with flat external soles. I've done an event in bare feet, but only the once...

You might find William E. Wilson's page on the subject useful:
http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~wew/celt-clothing/

Have a good time

[Morris at Heathfield]

I would think that those living in the Lowlands at that time would be quick to tell you that they spoke Scots (or Lallans), not English.

I doubt they would it find it a matter of controversy, considering they themselves normally called their language "Inglis" at the time. They only referred to their speech as "Scottis" occasionally, when it was necessary to distinguish it from the speech of those who spoke Southern.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I would think that those living in the Lowlands at that time would be quick to tell you that they spoke Scots (or Lallans), not English.

I wrote "Highland (Gaelic speaking)" and "Lowland (English speaking)" to underscore the fact that I was talking about the cultural Highland/Lowland divide rather than the geographic one. At various times in Scotland's history the Highland culture and Gaelic language would have extended well into territory that we might consider geographically in the Lowlands.

But you are correct, the language spoken by those "English" speaking Lowlanders would have at various times been referred to as "Scots" or "Scottis" or "Doric" or "Lallans" or "Inglis" or even "English." I simply didn't feel the need to use every possible identification of the language/dialect (depending on how you define it).

~M